Two Weeks
by Rally Collins
Summary: Mitsuo wins a trip to the sunny beaches of the US but is everything as good as it sounds and was it really such a good idea to invite Hasunuma along?
1. Prologue

Author's Note:  
AAC stands for Anime Assassin Corps. It's the web personalities on the Anime Hit List, one of my alternate websites. On that site my personality is Kawaii. Here I'm just using the name as a prop.

**Two Weeks**  
Prologue

The large red manilla envelope, sealed with red wax bearing the initials AAC arrived on a bright Sunday morning. On the front of the envelope was an illumination of the name Shiozu Mitsuo. There was no return address, no stamp, nothing but the name and the wax seal. The letter sat on the floor as if it had been pushed under the door.

Mitsuo stared at down at it for a moment before picking it up and rubbing his fingers over the seal. It was a bit heavier than he would have thought and Mitsuo noticed that the envelope was made of crudely recycled paper. Strangely, the rawness of the paper lent an elegant quality to the illumination. Mitsuo carefully cracked the wax and slid the letter out. After the envelope the letter itself was a dissappointment. It was just plain paper with neat typing.

"Dear Mr. Shiozu,  
We of the AAC have chosen you to be the recipient of an all expense paid trip for two to Virginia Beach, USA. The trip is two weeks of fun in the sun. Two first-class airplane tickets are included with this letter. You need only board the plane when ready. An AAC employee will meet you in the States. There is absolutely no hidden fees, charges, tasks, etc. This is not a gimmick, just fair reward for all your hard work.

Looking foreward to meeting you,  
Kawaii, Hime & El Dona (AAC co-founders)"

Mitsuo read the letter twice before shaking the envelope. There were indeed two first-class tickets inside.


	2. One

**Two Weeks**  
One 

Hasunuma couldn't believe his golden fortune. Mitsuo wins a free trip and invites him along. Just the two of them for two whole weeks.

Oh, the simple things in life...

"Aren't you packed yet?" The smaller boy was frantically running from room to room, different pieces of clothing and supplies hanging from his arms each time he made an appearance in the livingroom. The floor of the livingroom looked like a yardsale with piles of clothing, bedding and other junk.

Hasunuma smiled. "Easy there, Mitsuo. The letter said it was an all expense paid trip. You don't need to bring anything but clothing. Most of that," he pointed to a bag full of snacks, including apples and kiwi, "won't even make it through customs."

Mitsuo gave the snack bag a look of pained longing. "But what if we get hungry?"

"We'll be in first class," he replied reasonably. "And what do you need that for?" This time he indicated a large, purple hippo.

Mitsuo blushed. "Um... How did that get in there?" he asked a little too cheerfully and quickly tossed it back into his room.

"I'm packed and ready," Hasunuma said without sarcasm or scorn. His luggage consisted of one suitcase and a small carry on bag. "Would you like me to help you?"

After a moment of silence where his cute little nose scrunched up in thought, Mitsuo nodded. "Please?"

Mitsuo was just too adorable, Hasunuma couldn't help himself. He grabbed the smaller boy by the hand and pulled him in close. "Anything you want of me, you need only ask," he whispered. Hasunuma could actually feel Mitsuo's blush, before he was pushed away.

"We have to hurry the plane leaves in two hours," was the excuse. Hasunuma smiled and dove into organizing Mitsuo's luggage.

In a remarkably short amount of time, Hasunuma got the roomful of junk down to two suitcases and a carry on. Mitsuo insisted on taking at least a suitcase worth of paper charms.

"You ready for some fun in the sun?" asked Hasunuma, holding the door for his friend.

"You betcha!" replied Mitsuo just before he collided with Ichi.

Ichi looked up from his sprawl on the ground with desperation in his eyes. "You can't go! I told you, you can't trust that letter! Who are the people funding this trip, anyway?"

Mitsuo held out a hand. "It's okay, Ichi. It's just a free vacation. Like a giveaway."

Ichi latched onto Mitsuo. "Yeah," said Hasunuma. "A vacation for two. Beaches for two. _Hotel_ rooms for two. Just for two."

Ichi lost his grip and fell again. "I'm sorry there were only two tickets, Ichi," said Mitsuo, hauling Ichi to his feet and brushing off non-existent dirt.

"Yeah, sucks to be left out, but them's the breaks."

"Hasunuma, that wasn't very nice," said Mitsuo before turning back to Ichi. He patted Ichi's hands in a gesture of comfort. "Listen, I'll bring you back a souvenir."

Hasunuma's face grew hot. Ichi was getting all the attention again. How did that keep happening? He grabbed all the bags except the one Mitsuo had slung across his back in order to distract Mitsuo from his object of affection. "Time's a-tickin'. We need to get moving, Mitsuo."

"All right, all right," said Mitsuo somewhat dismissively. "See you in two weeks, Ichi."

"Yeah, see you," replied Ichi in defeat.


	3. Two

**Two Weeks**  
Two

Their contact at the airport in the United States introduced herself with a firm handshake as Emma Blair. She was possibly the tallest woman Mitsuo had ever seen. At well over six feet tall, she topped even Hasunuma. Her copper-red hair fell to her waist like a silken veil and her green eyes sparkled with humor. She was wearing a low-cut dress in a pale shade of green, brown leather sandals and choker that was merely a wire wrapped clear crystal with a small white feather.

"On behalf of my employers at the AAC, I'd like to welcome you to the United States." With a bow, she continued her greeting in perfect Japanese. "I'll be your guide and interpreter during your stay."

Mitsuo smiled and thanked her.

"I'm sure you're both exhausted. How about we make our way to the hotel? Don't worry about your bags, I've got someone fetching them now."

"That would be great. Thank you," repiled Hasunuma.

She lead them outside to a lean black limousine. Hasunuma jumped ahead of the group when it was apparent that Blair-sama was going to get the car door for Mitsuo and him. He opened the door with an arm flourish. "After you, Mamoiselle. It's obvious to me now that these American males," he gave another flourish to indicate all the men in the crowd around him, "have no sense of chivalry." Blair-sama smiled but didn't protest. She slipped into the car with a fluid grace that belied her tall frame.

Mitsuo waited for a moment, to allow Hasunuma to climb inside as well, but the taller man waved yet again. "Chivalry doesn't rest."

He was doing it again. Hasunuma was treating him like a nuisance.

No, Hasunuma was treating him like a girl. Mitsuo's face burned shame and anger. Anger won out. "I can get into the car without your help, you know," he snapped.

"Oh, I know," said Hasunuma confidently. "But I like doing things for you. Besides, I already had the door for Blair-sama."

The words made perfect sense, but Mitsuo couldn't ignore Hasunuma's tone. It suggested that Hasunuma had truely gotten the door for _him_. Blair-sama had just been a convienent excuse. But Hasunuma had the I'm-not-budging look on his face, so Mitsuo just sighed and climbed in next to their host.

* * *

They were all seated and on their way to the hotel when Emma spoke into the uneasy quiet. "You both know, you don't have to call me Blair-sama. Just Emma is fine." There was no response from either of them. "Emma-san is okay too. Y'know, if you feel you need that formality." Nothing again. "Emma-chan?" Silence. She pursed her lips for a moment then spouted off the most ridiculous nicknames she could conjure. "Emma-ko? Ma-chan? Em-ko? Emma-ko-kun-chan-ki?" Wow! They'd been in the U.S. a whopping hour and they'd already had a fight. This was going to be a looong fourteen days. She clapped her hands loudly. "Okay! Mitsuo! Hasunuma! No time for arguments! This is America the Land of No Fighting!"

Someone scoffed. Emma was fairly certain that it was Hasunuma. "Ha! Finally a response! You both need to lighten up."

Hasunuma looked right at her and smiled. "Whatever you say... Emma-ko-kun-chan-ki, was it?"

Emma let out a full-bellied laugh. "I can't believe you remembered all that!" she managed between gasps. Her laughter spread through the car and she soon had Hasunuma and Mitsuo laughing.

* * *

The Old Cavalier Hotel was a beautiful building, streatched out over perfectly manicured grounds. It was one of those places that the arcitecture alone could give someone a chill and the richness and beauty of the age of the building would give a thrill.

"That's where we're staying?" asked Hasunuma in awe.

Emma nodded. "Yes, wonderful, isn't it?"

"Yes," he agreed.

"Can't-" Mitsuo squeaked, then tried again. "Can't we stay someplace a little more... I don't know. A little more modern? This place has got to be a hundred years old." He shivered.

Right. A hundred-year-old building had to a lot of spiritual shit going on. Hasunuma had actually forgotten about Mitsuo's little "problem" for a moment. "Oh, yes. Emma-chan, is it possible to change reservations?"

Emma looked confused for a moment. "Sorry, boys. We can't. My bosses insist that you stay in the Old Cavalier. It's part of the terms and conditions of your trip. Why would you _want_ to change reservations from a four-star hotel?"

"It's a really old building," began Mitsuo. "Really old!"

"Are you afraid of cracked walls or falling ceilings or something?" Emma had drawn out the word "afraid" as if she knew that Mitsuo was honestly afraid of the building.

Hasunuma frowned. "You know, don't you. You know that Mitsuo attracts ghosts."

Mitsuo grabbed Hasunuma's arm, but Emma put up her hands. "Guilty. Yes, we knew all along." She put her hands down. "Please, don't worry. The Old Cavalier was chosen to house you simply because it's one of the best hotels in the city. It's got style, class and enough history to make you feel as if you've lived a little bit of the American life." She paused long enough to give the boys a dose of honest eye contact before continuing. "I've personally seen to the warding of your suite. Nothing that you don't welcome inside will be able to enter. Yes, it is an old building and it does have a lot of strange history, but few people have ever complained."

Something pulled on Hasunuma's insides. "What do you mean, you've seen to the warding personally?"

"Warding is actually a fairly simple process," she replied cheerily. "I'm something of a witch."


	4. Three

**Two Weeks**  
Three

"I'm something of a witch," she replied cheerily.

Mitsuo's panic tranformed into outright paranoia. First the potential of multiple possessions without the aid of a highly trained priest in the area and then a _witch_! _A WITCH!_ And she said it with such a happy look on her face, too! Without a thought, he latched onto the only thing in that godforsaken country that gave him any sense of security at all.

There was a flash of suprise in Hasunuma's eyes when Mitsuo snatched Hasunuma's hand and buried his face in the taller man's shoulder. Mitsuo felt Hasunuma stiffen just a bit before his calm voice broke the silence of the car. "A witch? You mean like with the pointy hat and flying on broomsticks and stuff?"

Emma-chan laughed. "No, not at all. I don't melt when you throw water on me and I don't have a black cat. Have you ever heard of the Wicca?"

"No."

"I didn't think so. It's more of a western practice, but it has characteristics similar to Buddhism and Shintoism. This is going to be a long discussion. Wouldn't you prefer to have it in your room?"

There was silence for a moment and Mitsuo considered revealing his face, but Hasunuma's shoulder was just so warm and comforting. Hasunuma shook Mitsuo's elbow, gently. "That okay with you, Mitsuo?"

Was it? Go into the big, scary hotel or stay in the limo and just snuggle... with... Hasunuma?

_Snuggle with Hasunuma! The hell!_

Mitsuo pushed himself away from Hasunuma blushing profusely. "Yeah! That's fine." He climbed over his friend to claw at the door handle, until the door popped open, spilling him on the ashphalt.

Before he had a chance to recover from the shock of hitting his head on the blacktop, Hasunuma was out of the limo and perched precariously close to Mitsuo's face. "Are you alright? Can you move? How many fingers am I holding up?" He waved three fingers next to Mitsuo's nose.

For some reason, Mitsuo lost his breath again. This only fueled his desire to put some space between Hasunuma and himself. He pushed himself to his feet. "Yes. Yes. Three and let's get going. The woman said the room was warded, so the room is warded or doesn't chivalry apply in this situation?" He stomped off toward the front entrance, leaving Hasunuma and Emma-chan staring after him.

* * *

Hasunuma was very confused about what just happened. He was sure Mitsuo wanted his support, but then to be shoved away and blown off like that.

Emma-chan giggled and mumbled something in English.

"Excuse me?"

Emma-chan waved a hand in front of her face. "Nothing important. Let's go." She hooked her arm around Hasunuma's, nearly dragging him into the hotel. It was an unusual experiance, walking arm in arm with a woman who's stride was a match to his own.

They found Mitsuo at the front desk, still flushed, and looking a bit panicked. "I forgot that I don't speak English."

"Don't be silly," said Emma with a wink. "It's just that _they_ don't understand Japanese." Then she released Hasunuma to speak with the concierge, a tall, impeccably dressed man with glasses and a haughty air.

Well, they were in the building. If any ghosts were around, they'd be sure to make an appearance soon. Mitsuo looked even more frantic than usual. His face was still red and his breathing was a little heavy. "Mitsuo, are you okay? Is anything bothering you?"

The blond focused on Hasunuma for a moment. Then, he forced a painfully false smile. "No nothing at all. I don't sense a thing."

"That's a little strange for a building this old, don't you think?"

Mitsuo's smile faded. "I guess... But, I really don't feel anything."

"That would be me," said Emma-chan slapping Mitsuo on the shoulder and flashing a couple of plastic cards. "I've got the room keys! Let's go."

* * *

The suite was more than Mitsuo expected. It was beautiful from it's light, gauzy window treatments to the brass in the bathroom that was so polished, he could see his clear reflection. There were four rooms altogether; the bathroom, the common room and two bedrooms. The bedrooms were decorated in seperate themes. One was blue and had a water theme and the other was brown and green and had a forest theme. Both were so breathtaking and wonderfully done, that Mitsuo couldn't choose between the two.

It was the common room that they had made themselves comfortable in. Mitsuo and Hasunuma were seated on the overstuffed sofa and thier host had taken a plush armchair.

A quiet settled while the group arranged itself and was only broken when Emma-chan spoke. "Can we start again? Hello, I'm Emma Blake. I'll be your guide, interpreter and spiritual protector while you are here in America. I work for the Apparitional Ability Coalition, the AAC. We welcome you to our country."

"The Apparitional Ability Coalition?" asked Hasunuma.

"Allow me to translate. Apparitional means 'of a ghost' or 'ghost-like.' Ability means 'power' or 'skill' and Coalition means 'comittee' or 'unified group.' Originally, the AAC was a group of people who studied ghosts and ghost phenomena, but now it's mostly made up of psychics."

"But aren't you a witch?"

"Psychics, fortune tellers, espers, clarivoyants, witches. 'Witch' is just a general term. I asked you before if you knew what Wicca was. I asked that because most of what I know comes from the Wiccan teachings. They believe that the Earth and nature is sacred. Their power is derived from the earth's energies. Hence the warding techniques I've used on this room. I've sprinkled salt in the four corners of the suite and at every window and the main door. There's a white candle and sage incense burning in every room for purification. Simple really."

Misuo felt his lunch try to make a reappearance. _That's_ what she used to seal the room? Salt and candles! "I'm dead!" He clawed around for an ofuda, before realizing that he hadn't seen his luggage since the airport.

Emma-chan caught his hand, then his gaze with her green eyes. "Listen, nothing is in this room. Nothing can enter this room without your express permission. This room is like a shrine. It's safe. I'm sorry that I'm not a priest, but I am the closest thing you're going to find to one here and I've no intention of letting anything possess you.

"Remember, downstairs. You didn't sense anything. It isn't because this place isn't _crawling_ with unrestful spirits. It was because of me. I shielded you with my energy. Crap, what's the word? They use it on Dragonball Z? Ki! I shielded you with my Ki.

"I'm not quite so useless, after all, eh?" She smiled. It was more of a sincere gesture than her previous smiles and it made her eyes glow.

It made some sense. Who says that the Shinto teachings are the only way to exorcise a spirit? "I guess not."

Sometime during Emma-chan's speech, Hasunuma had managed to cross his arms, his eyes fixed on Emma's hands. "I'm not convinced, yet."

"That's fine," she said, slowly releasing Mitsuo's fingers. "Feel free to plaster ofuda anywhere you like. What doesn't hinder can only help. I'll be in my room if you need me." She dissappeared into the brown and green room closing the door behind her.

Wait a minute. She'll be in her room? Then that means...

Mitsuo and Hasunuma made eye contact, then, sprinted for the blue room at the same time. One bed.

"Emma-chan!"


	5. Four

**Two Weeks**  
Four

"The Atlantic Ocean from Cape Henry to Cape Hatteras has long been referred to as the 'Graveyard of the Atlantic.' Fragments of shipwrecks - and possibly the remains of the sailors who went down with their vessels - litter the ocean bottom in coastal waters off Virginia Beach (1)," Emma-chan translated from a local information pamphlet, her trademarked smile glued on her pretty face. "See this city has a long history of beauty, grace, excitement and-"

"Tragedy," finished Mitsuo miserably. He swallowed back a yawn, rubbing his left eye with the heel of his hand. "Is this some sort of cruel and unusual punishment? Or maybe in some sick part of your mind, you crave the sight of a perfectly healthy teenager going completely bonkers," with each phrase the volume of Mitsuo's voice rose a few decibals, "With worry because he _knows_ he's going to be possessed by a thousand spirits at once and- and- and-"

"Mitsuo, calm down," began Hasunuma in a soothing tone.

"But- but- but-"

"Calm," the word was drawn out in an almost sing-song. Hasunuma produced an ofuda, plastering it on Mitsuo's forehead. "I won't let anything happen to you."

The blond froze, a look of sheer absurdity staining his otherwise adorable face. "Wha-" he began before trying again. "What was that for?"

"The usual. Warding off body snatching spirits and the like." Hasunuma couldn't avoid a slight smirk.

"I can't walk around like this!" He snatched the ofuda from his head and shoved it in his pocket.

"But you're not paranoid anymore, are you?" Hasunuma pointed out. Mitsuo shook his head. "Then, to the beach, says I! And Emma-chan, please stop purposely freaking my friend out."

"Sorry," she said with a look that betrayed her true feelings. "I can't help it."

"Try." The word came out a bit cooler than Hasunuma was intending.

Emma-chan dropped her smile. "You got it, Boss."

* * *

"The Beach" wasn't quite what Mitsuo was expecting. It was small. Okay, it wasn't small exactly. It was very long, but the sand that stretched from the water to the boardwalk was only about twenty feet wide. Yet, the crowd that the beach donned like a squirming sweater seemed unaware of the tiny space it had been squashed into. As the new additions to the sweater arrived, they spotted a white statue of a woman. She was like a guardian watching over the beach.

"Interesting place for some statuary," was Hasunuma's dry comment.

"There's a story behind this Norweigan Lady, if you'd like to hear it?" Emma-chan looked to Mitsuo for the signal to continue.

"Will it scare me?" Mitsuo asked suspiciously.

"It shouldn't, but it is quite sad."

Mitsuo considered for a moment. Saddness normally lead to tragedy. Tragedy normally lead to unrestful spirits. Unrestful spirits normally lead to him getting possessed. But- Damnit, now he was curious. "Okay, what's the story behind this sad lady?"

Hasunuma figeted.

"Mr. Hasunuma, is it alright with you?"

He put both hands out. "Beach, sun, fun, sand, swimming or long, boring history story. This time I can't help it."

Emma-chan giggled. "I'll make it short.

"Back in 1891 a Norweigan bark named Dictator shipwrecked off this coast. The captain Jorgen Jorgensen was one of the few survivors. His wife, Johanne, and his four year old son, Carl, both perished in the shipwreck. This statue is a replica of the Dictator's shipmaiden. It's a memorial for the ones lost at sea. Short enough for you?"

Something nagged at Mitsuo neck. "What are you leaving off of the story, Emma-chan?"

"Mitsuo, swimming. Remember vacation," Hasumuma whined.

"Then go swimming. I want to hear the rest of the story."

* * *

Mitsuo actually waved him off. Dismissed like an unwanted puppy. Hasunuma pushed down the anger rising inside.

"No, you don't. It's obvious that this story is going to turn into a tale of ghostly ne'er-do-wells. She's been doing nothing but sending you into panic since we got here."

"I assure you, these ghosts are properly resting," Emma-chan stated with the return of that annoying oh-so-happy smile of hers. "There is no threat to your Mitsuo."

_My_ Mitsuo! Hasunuma felt as if his head had exploded before he regained his senses. It was a slip of the tongue. Yeah. That was it. "Fine then," he managed to sound unruffled at least to his own ears, "Continue."

Mitsuo was looking to Hasunuma, as if he'd missed something important and didn't consciously realize it. The rest of Hasunuma's misplaced anger and embarrassment faded.

Emma continued the story. "Johanne and Carl's bodies washed up days apart from each other. They were buried in seperate cemetaries. According to legend, the people who lived around the churchyard that Carl was buried in repeatedly heard a child crying. The crying only stopped when they moved Carl to a grave next to his mother."

"Now, that was a story," said Mitsuo, unexpectedly.

"That didn't bother you?" Hasunuma was feeling the beginnings of confusion.

"Why should it? Yeah, it was sad, but everything's alright now, right Emma-chan?"

She just nodded.

* * *

The little ghost story ruined the rest of Hasunuma's day. Emma-chan was up to something, he just hadn't figured out what it was yet and Mitsuo was in the middle of it all.

"I can't believe I'm going to say this," he muttered, "But, I should've listened to Ichi."

Notes:  
1. Taken directly from the Virginian Pilot 10-30-03


	6. Five

**Two Weeks**  
Five

"She's not here," a voice whined, childlike in it's petulance.

Hasunuma was startled to his surroundings. There was nothing but darkness at every angle. And it was hot, searing hot. The heat pressed in, forcing the air out of his lungs.

"She's not here," the voice insisted with a bit more fervor.

"Who isn't?" Hasunuma whispered past the gagging atmosphere.

"She's supposed to be here!" This time the voice took on a tone of barely contained outrage and the temperature shot up tens of degrees.

Hasunuma took an involuntary step back before the pain crawling up his legs cemented his feet in place. "Who is?" he tried again past his fear.

"You're keeping her from me, aren't you?" The heat, fueled by rage, engulfed Hasunuma like a wool blanket wrapped around his head, choking the life out of him. He swatted at it, but it just grew tighter and tighter, until he couldn't breathe at all.

"Give her back," the voice hissed in the most terrifying tone yet.

"No!" He came awake all at once, batting at thin air and sucking in great gasps of sweet, cool air. He wiped away the sweat on his face with the sheet, almost hitting Mitsuo's dangling foot. The site of the foot, just inches from his face, strangely calmed him down a little. Hasunuma slid across the floor to lean against the far wall.

The chill of the wall pressing into his back sapped more of the burning fear out of him. _Crap!_, his mind cursed. _Here I was, worried about Mitsuo's peace of mind and I'm the one having nightmares over a stupid ghost story. I wonder if I realize that's not like me at all?_ He shook his head. _Now, I'm talking to myself. Great._

"Hasunuma? What's wrong?" Mitsuo had managed to sit up while Hasunuma was rambling.

"Nothing," he tried, a little too cheerfully. "Why do you ask? I didn't mean to wake you up. You really should just go back to sleep."

Mitsuo tsked, sitting up all the way and placing his feet on the carpeting of the floor. "You can't lie to me. It's four a.m., you're awake, cowering against a wall, and covered with sweat."

There had to be a good eight feet between the two of them. "First of all," Hasunuma began as reasonably as he could manage given the circumstances, "I am not cowering. I'm using the wall to hold me up. I am trembling, but that's probably due to dehydration from the aforementioned sweating and how the hell can you see all of that from there?"

Mitsuo slowly walked toward him, pointed at the floor and then dropped to his knees next to his friend. "You're also sitting within a patch of light from the windows. The only patch of light." Hasunuma checked. He was. "So, I want to know what's wrong."

When did Mitsuo get so observant? Normally, a Mack truck could practically run him over and he wouldn't notice. "I told you it was nothing." Hasunuma couldn't tell him that he was afraid of the Big Bad Nightmare. He wasn't a child, to be shivering, terrified of the dark. Movement attracted his attention to the border between the light and the darkness. It was breathing. How the hell could shadows breathe? Each breath grew in strength, rhythmically squeezing the light out, letting the dark in. A macabre heartbeat of anti-light.

"...numa?"

Beat, beat, beat... The borders were closing in.

"Hasunuma?"

Beat, beat, beat...

* * *

There was something, very, very wrong. Hasunuma had pulled himself into a ball and was visably cringing every couple of seconds. Mitsuo tried calling his name a few times, but there was no response so, Mitsuo tried something else. He grabbed Hasunuma's shoulders and shook him until sense returned to his gaze.

"Mitsuo?" Hasunuma asked. Mitsuo nodded. Hasunuma latched onto Mitsuo's wrists and pushed the smaller boy away. "Get out! There's something here!"

Mitsuo just managed to regain his footing before plummetting to the floor. He took a moment to sense the room around him. It was completely devoid of any spiritual power, as it had been since they'd arrived in the States.

"What are you still doing here!" The panic in Hasunuma's voice only accentuated the crazed look in his eyes.

Mitsuo switched tactics again. He flipped on the overhead light and turned back to his friend. "Hasunuma, you have to calm down. There's nothing here."

"But-"

Mitsuo had to maintain his own calm. "Don't you think I'd know if there were?"

"But-"

"But what?" Mitsuo asked quietly.

Hasunuma froze for a few seconds and then shook his head. "What happened Mitsuo? What are you doing on the floor?"

Mitsuo leaned back in relief. "You tell _me_ what happened. You were freaking out."

"I was?"

To be continued...


	7. Six

**Two Weeks**  
Six

"I was?" Hasunuma shook his head, encouraging a bead of sweat to slide down his hot face.

"Yes, you was," replied Mitsuo in possibly the harshest tone Hasunuma had ever heard him use. "You were ranting about something being here and you tried to get me to leave." There was genuine concern in his tone.

Hasunuma looked up to find the same emotion on Mitsuo's face and then he noticed the smaller boy's disheveled appearance, hair mussed from sleeping, one leg of his pajama bottoms hiked up almost to the knee, red welts on each wrist. Hasunuma winced and then very slowly took one of Mitsuo's hands in his own, lightly brushing the ugly marks. "I'm sorry," he breathed, realizing _he_ was the cause of the injury.

Mitsuo reclaimed his hand. "For what? Trying to protect me? Don't be stupid. Just tell me what happened. What's the last thing you remember?"

The last thing Hasunuma remembered was loosing the rock-paper-scissors challenge for the bed and then bunking down on the floor for the night. Then... nothing.

Nothing... "There was darkness spread out all around me and it was so hot I thought I would choke and I remember someone being pissed off, really pissed off, and asking what I had done to someone who was supposed to be there. Then, it got so hot I think I screamed." Hasunuma broke out of his reverie, startled that he'd spoken aloud.

"And then," prompted Mitsuo, without any hint of teasing, green eyes shining with belief.

"And then..." The shadows were breathing, his psyche reminded him and fear trickled down his face like sweat, but he clamped down on a reaction. He'd already caused Mitsuo enough trouble and damage. He frowned at sight of the smaller boy's wrists again. "That's it. I don't remember anything else. Just you."

* * *

That wasn't all Hasunuma recalled. Mitsuo would bet money on it, but he'd also be willing to stake his life that the taller boy wouldn't say anything else on the subject no matter how much Mitsuo pried, but he _so_ wanted to pry. He opened his mouth to demand the truth.

Hasunuma laughed. It was the most horrible sound Mitsuo had ever heard, shattered glass over a broken will. It was the sound of lost hope. Mitsuo angled his head down to peer past the fringe of the taller boy's bangs, he wimpered at the tears boring channels through Hasunuma's cheeks. Mitsuo's blood ran cold. Hasunuma didn't cry. He _couldn't_ cry. Could he?

The blond took the initiative to slide closer, placing a reassuring hand on Hasunuma's clenched fists. "Hasunuma, talk to me. Tell me what's wrong."

Watery-blue eyes pleaded, begged. "Don't leave me alone." It was less than a whisper and then Hasunuma collapsed into Mitsuo's arms unconscious.

The weight of the taller boy's body dragged Mitsuo the rest of the way to the plush carpet. It took the boy a full two minutes to crawl out from under the limp form and once he was free he bolted for his only ally.

* * *

Emma was sleeping hard when the pounding of her panic-stricken client shocked her out of slumber. "Unh..." was the only sound she could produce as she clawed her way out of the mountain of plushy bedding and to the door. It unlocked with what should have been a touch of a finger, but with Emma's drousy coordination ended up being all four knuckes of her left hand mashing the key. She firmly gripped the latch handle and pulled down. "What?"

She belatedly realized that she'd spoken in English and that Mitsuo's Japanese rantings weren't registering on her sleep-addled brain. "Wait! Wait! Wait!" she demanded, still in English, waving her hand in a motion of negation. Mitsuo caught the hint and fell silent. _Wake up, Emma Blair!_ She slapped her cheeks with both hands and shook her head. Okay, she could do this. "Nani?" she inquired sweetly.

"Something's wrong with Hasunuma." Oh, good it worked. See the ol' ticker's a-functioning again. "He passed out and won't wake up."

"What happened?" She snatched her robe on the way out the door. The boy didn't respond, just continued his trek to the other bedroom. When Emma caught up, Mitsuo was staring at Hasunuma's doll-like form, biting his bottom lip and clenching his fists. "What happened?" she repeated. "Why did he pass out?"

"I don't know." Well, that wasn't very useful.

"Did he hit his head or something?" She was already on her knees, checking him over for injuries, but finding none.

"No. He had a nightmare or something and then freaked out."

Okay, she didn't like the sound of that. "Freaked out?" Before the boy had a chance to respond, Emma did a quick scan of the room. All of her physical wards were still in place and a mental check ensured that her magical wards were intact as well.

"He insisted that there was something here."

"Impossible," Emma blurted. "The wards are untouched."

"Believe me, I know," began Mitsuo, slipping next to Hasunuma and then reaching out to grasp one of the slack hands, "I didn't sense anything either."

Like a compass needle is pulled to the north, Emma's focus was drawn to those hands. One small, firm hand gripping the long, graceful fingers of a pianist. Superimposed over the smaller hand was the vision of a larger, stronger hand, a hand that sparked a burning rage. The fire consumed Emma's will, bitch-slapping her personality to a back corner of her mind. Emma watched herself smack those hands apart, breaking the bond that was always meant to stay broken. "For the last time, Michael. Stay away from my Hannah. She's _mine_!"

"Emma-chan?" 


	8. Seven

**Two Weeks**  
Seven

"Emma-chan?" Mitsuo rubbed his stinging fingers absently. He was confused beyond all reason and he hadn't a clue what Emma had just said except for, "She's mine!" That much he could decipher using what little of the language he'd managed to absorb in English class.

Emma's personality had completely changed in the blink of an eye. She had gone from caring and worried to violent and suspicious. And her voice had dropped an octave. The woman was crouched down next to the lifeless Hasunuma like a feline mother protecting her young. She couldn't be...?

"She be who? Of you?" he tried in English.

"Hannah is mine!" Emma repeated in a hiss, eyes mere slits.

Okay, "Hannah" is a name. A girl's name. "Emma-chan," he pointed to the boy, scouring his brain for the right vocabulary. "Hasunuma sick. Help."

"Stay away!" She struck out toward him again. "Get away! Just die, Michael!"

The word "die" he understood. "Crap," Mitsuo muttered, before quickly scanning the room for anything useful. An ofuda would be nice. His focus landed on his friend. Hasunuma's skin was paling at an almost visible rate and from where Mitsuo was kneeling he couldn't tell if Hasunuma was breathing or not. He had to get to Hasunuma. He had to help him. He had to do _something_ and if whatever it was that was possessing Emma was going to get in his way, he'd have to remove it. He just didn't have a clue how.

"Emma-chan?" Mitsuo deliberately switched back to Japanese. "I know you're here. I don't know why I can't see you, but I know you can at least hear me. I just want to say I'm sorry for what I'm about to do. Please forgive me." And with that vague declaration, he shifted all of his weight behind his fist and then sprung up and over to connect with the much taller figure ahead of him. The blow impacted dead center of Emma's face, with a peculiar crunch. The woman collapsed onto herself and Hasunuma.

Mitsuo took only a second to make sure she'd stay down before sprinting across the room to the closed suitcase at the foot of the bed. Charms, charms, beautiful charms. He snatched a handful of the painted paper talismans and then proceeded to cover every possible entrance for ghosts, including the door, windows, Hasunuma, Emma and himself. When he was finished the room resembled the vision of a drunken Post-It! Pin-the-Tail-on-the-Donkey seminar hall. He even remembered to re-light the candle. It was as he was starting the incense burn he heard a rustle behind him. He turned toward the sound and kicked on his guard.

"Crab," mumbled Emma. "Dad reeby, _reeby_ hurbz.(1)" She had managed to sit up and was gingerly holding her nose. "Ow."

The blond held out a fuda like a shield of righteousness. Even with a broken nose she was back to speaking Japanese, so he tried, "Emma-chan?"

"Whad da hell jusd habbened, Midsuo?(2)" Her hand was reaching to the talisman on her forehead.

"Don't touch that!" She dropped her arm. "Nobody's taking off their charms. We all have them, even me." He gave her a moment to take in her surroundings. "I don't know what happened, but I'm pretty sure Hasunuma was right. There is something here."

"Whad?"

Mitsuo shrugged. "I don't know, okay. You were the one possessed, what did you see?"

"I didn't see anything," she said carefully pronouncing her words. "I felt... I felt so angry when I saw you holding his hand and then... I don't know, I kind of blacked out." Then, "I was _what!_"

* * *

Notes:  
1. "Crap! That really, really hurts!"  
2. "What the hell just happened, Mitsuo?" 


End file.
